The Witch's Revenge

Chapter 8

No one protests lan looks like he wants nothing more than to return to bed, but even he probably knows better than to make a teacher mad on the first day Those students get remembered, and I doubt anyone wants to stick out right away. Especially with the rule about warnings.

"I am Marissa Lockwood" the teacher says, offering a slight smile, a look of pride crossing her face, and I will be your Levitation teacher. You will be expected to have it down within the first three months. Those that don't are simply not meant to fly. It is not an ability everyone possesses"

She taps her desk once, causing it to float up into the air, along with everything on it. Even though we've been here for two days already, we're still a bit surprised to see magic being used so openly.

"One of you has managed to pull off a highly ranked teleportation spell, and subsequently got the best score when it comes to control. There is little doubt this student was meant to fly. We will now test it with him."

On boy. So much for blending in

"Hotaru Zen, please come to the front of the class."

I obey, keeping my head down. I really hate being the centre of attention. It's part of the conditions that carne with the toe ring I'm wearing. There's no better way to make me stop throwing myself at strangers than making me hate when they look at me

I'm a bit intimidated by the teacher's height, but she doesn't look as stern up close as she does from afar, so that's something. The gazes of the other students aren't helping, though. I feel like I'm about to faint. Is it getting hotter in here? Crap, I'm already sweating

These stupid uniforms aren't helping. Why do they have to be so fancy? Vests? Really? It's not that cold in here. And who wears bow ties anymore?

"Everyone who can learn will do so at their own time" the teacher continues. Do I even call her Mrs Lockwood? Are they married? "You are the one we have the highest hopes for, Hotaru. Close your eyes and do as I say."

I obey, perfectly happy not to have to look at all the curious, yet judgmental faces before me

"Magic feeds on emotion and belief. Certain types of magic require you to drawn on certain emotions. Levitation comes from feelings of freedom. Go to your past, Hotaru, and envision a time when you felt truly free. Maybe you ran through a field of grass as a child. Maybe you climbed somewhere high and let the wind blow through your hair. Take one moment any moment that might represent freedom to you and repeat it inside your head until you get that feeling again."

Freedom? Well, that's an easy one for me. It also requires me to go to a darker place, though. Well, I suppose it didn't start off dark. It was great at first, which is why I kept doing it.

His name was Charlie, and we were both fifteen. Up to that point, my parents had never allowed me to go out or anything. I was to remain inside all day and study. Study, study, study. No playtime, no free time, no relationships, no friends

Charlie was a neighbour's nephew. I met him the day he moved in. Started off as idle chit-chat, and he eventually started asking me to hang out. I can still remember the rush I felt as I kept sneaking out to meet him.

But my first true act of rebellion was when we went to his room the first night. That was the first big rule I ever broke. After that, disobeying my parents became easy, I'd already done the worst thing imaginable, so why bother holding

back?

I kept sneaking out and meeting him for half a year. I let my grades drop, spent more time outside than at home, and regularly lied to or even straight up refused to obey my parents. That was freedom.

"I will put something on you now," Marissa Lockwood says. "Don't open your eyes yet. This is a special balm witches

use for flying. Without it, no amount of feeling will matter. Otherwise we'd all go flying the moment we felt free."

I feel her dab something under each of my eyes something very unspecific. I can't catch any smell from it, and it doesn't have a particularly strong feeling, either.

"This is just the base of the balm," the teacher continues. "Each of you will have your own. If you know how to make

them from the heart, you are destined to fly. We shall now test it with you"

I open my eyes, and walk over to one of the cabinets on the side of the room. in the first one, I see nothing of

importance some candles, a few vials of something, and a fake skull

From the second one, I take a red feather, seemingly having belonged to a parrot. I also take something in a perfume like bottle something black that smells like detergent.

Am I really just winging this? This seems insane. I have no idea why I picked those two things. My hands just reached on their own

The third one is a vial of something green, which I sprinkle over my cheeks using the dropper. Next I spray myself with

the black perfume. I take the feather and crush it in my fist, and when I open it, red powder has taken its place.

I dab it over my cheeks as well, then walk back to the front of the class. The teacher looks genuinely impressed, which is good for my nerves right now.

Am I really about to fly? It's actually going to happen?

"You don't have enough power to do it for long," Mrs Lockwood tells me, "but we'll work on that later. Go on. Do it."

My body moves on its own, my knees bending slightly as I get into a semi-crouch, I lightly jump into the air.. and stay there

It's like you imagine a zero-gravity space to be when you see it in movies. My body is slowly moving through the air, as if through water. I try to paddle forward, but remain in place.

"With your heart," the teacher says. Does she mean my head? How do I even move with my heart?

I look down at lan, and find myself floating over to him. Once I'm right above his desk, I come crashing down, the gravity returning fully. I hear him groan as we both hit the ground, his desk shattering from my weight.

Hasty footsteps come over to us, and then several people are helping us to our feet. Nothing of mine hurts that bad, I think, aside from my pride. lan is bleeding from his nose, though, the teacher pressing a handkerchief against it.

"Short, but well done," she says, looking at me. "Excellent start, Hotaru. The rest of you do the same, one at a time, start from the first desk by the window, then moving down from there. All those who fail to get a single ingredient are not meant to fly, and will be dropping this class immediately after. Hotaru, as you've already proven yourself, you go with him to the nurse's office"

lan starts walking forward, but as he's forced to hold his head high, keeps bumping into the tables. I grab him by the forearm gently and start steering him through the crowded classroom. The moment we're outside, I allow myself to breathe again

"Can't believe you made me miss the first class," lan grumbles at me, his voice nasal thanks to the injury. "This is like

starting a game without a walkthrough. Thanks, man"

Feeling myself turning red, I reply, "I figured the spell would land me back on the floor, not just end abruptly. Sorry

about that"

"You ever done it before?"

"Flying? No, never. I didn't even know it was possible" But it's an extremely useful thing to know how to do, and I intend to make full use of it. "What about you?"

"Hate it. I don't think I'm up for it"

"How come?"

"Feelings of freedom? Letting your heart guide you? Nah, not for me, man. I'm way too cynical for that BS, Just not

programmed that way."

I take a glance at his bracelet and see the side profile of a wolf or coyote there. I still have no idea what those are.

supposed to be, but everyone except me seems to have gotten a cool one. Why a damn rooster?

"I have no idea where we're going." I confess, taking out my map. "I don't think I ever saw a nurse's office on this

thing"

"It's outside," the redhead replies, "in a small hut in the courtyard"

Ah, yeah. I see it now. If one didn't know to check there, they'd never find it. Seems like they should make the

Important locations stand out on this thing. Maybe underline them or something.

"Mind if I ask something?"

lan looks down at me, slightly lowering his head, hanky still on his face "Go for it."

"What are the pendants about?

He glances at his own for a moment, then looks back at me. "Most everyone's got a different one, I think. A few aret he same, though. Mac tells me he and that girlfriend of yours both have dog paws.

Yep. Called that one. "She's not my girlfriend"

"Just a friend?"

"I guess. I don't really know her that well." Or anyone else here. I doubt I'll come to call any of then friends before the first year ends. Usually takes me a long time to properly open up.

"So you won't mind if Mac asks her out?”